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The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Commission is pleased to announce Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum in Chittenango as the recipient of the 2010 Erie Canalway Heritage Award of Excellence. Honorable Mention was awarded to the Historical Murals of Lyons in Wayne County and the Mohawk Towpath Byway, which stretches from Waterford and Cohoes to Schenectady.

“We congratulate and thank this year’s recipients for doing so much to celebrate, preserve, and share the rich history of the Erie Canal,” said Joseph Callahan, Chair of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Commission. “These are not only great places to visit—each has a valuable story to tell about how preserving our heritage can go hand-in-hand with economic and community revitalization.”

The Heritage Award honors significant places of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor and recognizes excellence in advancing the goals of the Erie Canalway Preservation and Management Plan. A five-person independent jury selected award recipients based on a written application and site visit, which included meetings with officials at each site, as well as community leaders, municipal representatives, and other stakeholders.

“Through the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor elements of the Grand Canal system, its past and present, have become united. The Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum appreciates the honor of being publically recognized as one of the Corridor’s integral assets, thus defining the story of the historic dry dock and 19th century canal boat technology,” said Joan DiChristina, Executive Director at Chittenango Landing.

Heritage award recipients will be recognized at an award ceremony on Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at 9:30 am at Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum in Chittenango. The ceremony will precede the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Commission annual meeting at 10:30 am.

For more information about the award and photographs of this year’s recipients, visit www.eriecanalway.org.
 
 
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A small sample of items to be auctioned
The Madison County Historical Society ‘s Donation Auction Fundraiser is Sunday, May 16 at 1 pm. Auction items have been coming in and there are many wonderful things from furniture, art, decorative objects, and gift certificates from area businesses. The Oneida YMCA has donated gym memberships. Thompson Appliance has donated a 40” Samsung LCD television. Harden Furniture has donated a wine table.All about You of Oneida has donated European Facials. The Earlville Opera House has donated tickets to an upcoming performance. For you sailboat enthusiasts there is a lightening class sailboat, trailer included. There is too much to list so bring your lawn chair, and bid high at the society’s fun fundraiser on Sunday, May 16 at 1 pm on the grounds of the Madison County Historical Society, 435 Main Street in Oneida. Food will also be available at the auction. Auctioneer Bradley Markowski will conduct the auction. There is no buyer’s premium.
Proceeds from the auction will benefit the Madison County Historical Society’s Restoration Fund. Restoration of an 1850 Gothic Revival period home is an ongoing process. Currently, the society needs to address the following restoration projects: the repair of the tin roof above the side porch including the vault room, and the front porch; the replacement of rotten window sills; and the replacement of one rotten column on the front porch.
For more information about the auction, please contact the Madison County Historical Society at 435 Main Street, Oneida, NY 13421. Call us at 315.363.4136, or 315.361.9735, or email us at sydney@mchs1900.org, or visit www.mchs1900.org.The New York State Board of Regents granted a charter to the Madison County Historical Society on March 29, 1900.The Madison County Historical Society’s mission is to preserve, collect, promote, and exhibit the history of Madison County and its fifteen towns and one city through the development of programs that enhance the county’s heritage for the people of Madison County and those studying the county’s heritage.  The society’s headquarters, Cottage Lawn, located in Oneida, is an 1849 Gothic Revival Villa designed by prominent architect Alexander Jackson Davis. Cottage Lawn is preserved and operated as a historic museum.

 
 
In celebration of Preservation Month in May each year, and beginning with the first installment of this series in 2003, “Saving Venice Through Archaeology,”  The Friends of Lorenzo has promoted the many social, cultural and economic benefits in preserving historic architecture, landscapes and archaeology. This year’s focus extends to the particular significance of the Gothic Revival architectural style in and around Central New York on May 20th ,  and the assistance, resources, partners, and incentives available to preserve historic resources at the community level on May 27th.  Both free programs are offered in partnership with the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.  
Central New York is rich in a number of historic architectural styles, with several significant examples of the early-Victorian “pointed style” or Gothic Revival, including Cottage Lawn in Oneida and the Town Offices (Bob-O-Link) in Cazenovia.  On May 20th at 7 pm, William Krattinger, a National Register Field Representative for New York State, will present “Gothic Revival Domestic Architecture in Central New York: Context and Resources.” Mr. Krattinger will present an historical and stylistic context for this “romantic” style--embellished with lancet arches, carved finials and decorative vergeboard gables-- and will examine precedents, design sources and additional prominent dwellings erected in and around Madison County during this period.
On May 27th at 7 pm, Julian Adams of the New York State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) will highlight how SHPO helps communities identify, evaluate, preserve, and revitalize their historic, archeological, and cultural resources through a variety of programs including the New York State and National Registers of Historic Places, the federal historic rehabilitation tax credit, the state historic preservation grants program and a wide range of technical assistance. The SHPO works with both the public and private sector to raise historic preservation awareness, to instill in New Yorkers a sense of pride in the state's unique history and to encourage heritage tourism and community revitalization. 
In association with the Cazenovia Public Library, both evening lectures will take place in the Library’s Community Room at 7 pm, 100 Albany Street, Cazenovia; refreshments will follow each program. The Library has also mounted an on-going power point presentation on the Cazenovia Town Offices in the main circulation area. Both programs are part of the Cazenovia-wide Preservation Month Series. For more information, please call (315) 655-3200.

 
 
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Martha Swan, founding director of John Brown Lives! Lake Placid NY will bring reports from the North Country to the Smithfield Community Center in Peterboro on Saturday, June 12 at 12:00 noon. During her program The World that Made John Brown---and The World Yet To Be Made, Swan will review the many activities held throughout 2009 commemorating John Brown and Harpers Ferry, as well as the John Brown Day 2010 to be held at the John Brown Farm State Historic Site on Saturday, May 8 from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. Swan will give an overview of the political and social backdrop of the United States during the fifty-nine years of John Brown’s life, from 1800-1859, that led to Brown’s formation as an abolitionist and man of action.  She will also reissue the call reminiscent of our abolitionist forebears that was first issued last December for 100 Anti-Slavery Conventions to galvanize New Yorkers to commit to the unfinished task of abolishing slavery and achieving racial justice in our world today.  She will report on the efforts to restore state funding for the John Brown Farm, a state historic site since the 1890s, and provide an update on its status. The program is free and open to the public.
 
 
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Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum is hosting author Martha Kendall on Sunday, April 25 at the museum, 7010 Lakeport Road. Kendall will present a multi-media program “The Story of the Erie Canal: The Power of a Can-Do Attitude” at 2 p.m. with a 3 p.m. book signing and refreshments afterward.

Included in her presentation will be the story of the Erie Canal, anecdotes about the canal’s history, slides showing the canal today, and music of the era on fiddle, guitar, banjo and penny whistle. Admission is free, donations are appreciated. There will be a limited number of her books available for purchase. For more information please call 687-3801 or visit their website.
 
 
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Continuing the discussion on how women use craft to express their inner life and the world around them, Dr. Anthony Wonderley, Oneida Community Mansion House Curator, presents a talk on the “Oneida Community’s Best Quilt” at 7 p.m. on Wed., April 21. 

Wonderley’s presentation on the textile masterpiece created by the women of the commune in 1873, will focus on pictorial content and will survey images on the quilt that illustrate the activities and interests of the quilt's makers. The Best Quilt itself is on permanent display in the Mansion House.  On this occasion, other quilts and quilt pieces of the Oneida Community will be exhibited. Dr. Wonderley (Ph.D., Cornell University) is the author of two books, At the Font of the Marvelous, and  Oneida Iroquois Folklore, Myth, and History: New York Oral Narrative from the Notes of H. E. Allen and Others and he was recently named a Fellow of the New York State Archaeological Association.

The Oneida Community Mansion House was the home of the 19th century utopian Oneida Community (1848-1880).  Today, the building houses a museum with permanent and changing exhibitions, residential apartments, overnight lodging, Zabroso Restaurant, and banquet and meeting space.  Guided tours are available Wed. through Sat., 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., and Sun. at 2 p.m. for a nominal fee.  The Oneida Community Mansion House is located at 170 Kenwood Ave., Oneida, NY.  For information call 315-363-0745 or visit www.oneidacommunity.org. 

  



 

  

 
 
The Madison County Historical Society is holding a Donation Auction Fundraiser on May 16 at 1 pm and we need donations! The society is looking for donations of items that are usable and saleable. Items for the donation auction may include, but are not limited to: furniture, art, decorative objects, gift certificates, or services.  Gift certificates and services may include but are limited to: weekend getaways, gift baskets, salon services, fitness memberships, restaurant certificates, sport event tickets, and golf passes.  We will not be accepting personal clothing, appliances, vehicles, or books.  If a car dealership would like to donate a vehicle, please contact us.

The society asks that donations be delivered during business hours Monday through Friday from 10 am - 4 pm. If you need pick-up assistance, please contact Becky Karst at 315.374.1349 or Teri Hill at 315.264.1073.  The deadline to donate items to the auction is May 5. Items accepted for the auction are tax deductible to the full extent of the Internal Revenue Code. Tax receipt forms will be furnished when item(s) are received. Auctioneer Bradley Markowski will conduct the auction. There is no buyer’s premium.

Proceeds from the auction will benefit the Madison County Historical Society’s Restoration Fund. Restoration of an 1850 Gothic Revival period home is an ongoing process. Currently, the society needs to address the following restoration projects: the repair of the tin roof above the side porch including the vault room, and the front porch; the replacement of rotten window sills; and the replacement of one rotten column on the front porch.



 
 
(Oneida)   How do women use craft to express their inner life and the world around them? This topic provides the focus of the spring adult enrichment series at the Oneida Community Mansion House, which will be presented at 7 p.m. in the Big Hall on three successive Wednesdays in April.
On April 14, Dr. Kheli R. Willetts will present “African America Women and the Craft Tradition.”  Dr. Willetts is an Assistant Professor African American Art History and Film in the Department of African American Studies and Executive Director of the Community Folk Art Center, a community service based unit of the African American Studies Department.  Prior to joining the faculty at Syracuse University in 2002, Dr. Willetts worked with a number of arts organizations including the Real Art Ways, Studio Museum of Harlem, the Wadsworth Athenaeum, the Connecticut Historical Society and the Connecticut Commission on the Arts.
As Executive Director of the Community Folk Art Center Professor Willetts is responsible for developing diverse and dynamic programming including exhibitions, workshops in visual and expressive arts, lectures and film screenings.
“The Oneida Community’s Best Quilt,” a textile masterpiece created by the women of the commune in 1873, will be presented by OCMH Curator Anthony Wonderley on April 21. Focusing on pictorial content, the talk will survey images on the quilt that illustrate the activities and interests of the quilt's makers. The Best Quilt itself is on permanent display in the Mansion House.  On this occasion, other quilts and quilt pieces of the Oneida Community will be exhibited. Dr. Wonderley (Ph.D., Cornell University) is the author of two books, At the Font of the Marvelous, and  Oneida Iroquois Folklore, Myth, and History: New York Oral Narrative from the Notes of H. E. Allen and Others and he was recently named a Fellow of the New York State Archaeological Association.
On April 28, Pody Vanderwall will speak on the art tapestries of Jessie Catherine Kinsley (1858-1938). Born in the Oneida Community, Jessie Kinsley created textile "paintings" out of silk braidings, a body of work unique in the art of the early twentieth century. A great-granddaughter of the artist, Vanderwall will review Kinsley's life and art, and how her artistic themes relate to her personal circumstances and concerns.  Many of Kinsley's works are on exhibit in the Mansion House. Others will be set out especially for this talk. 
All talks are free and open to the public and are followed by a light reception.
The Oneida Community Mansion House was the home of the 19th century utopian Oneida Community (1848-1880).  Today, the building houses a museum with permanent and changing exhibitions, residential apartments, overnight lodging, Zabroso Restaurant, and banquet and meeting space.  Guided tours are available Wed. through Sat., 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., and Sun. at 2 p.m. for a nominal fee.  The Oneida Community Mansion House is located at 170 Kenwood Ave., Oneida, NY.  For information call 315-363-0745 or visit www.oneidacommunity.org.
 
 
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2010 marks the 25th Anniversary of the founding of the Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum.  The museum, located on the Old Erie Canal, is where 90' long cargo boats were built and repaired during the late 19th and 20th centuries.
The all-volunteer museum will incorporate this momentous occasion into the 19th annual Canal Fest to be held on Sunday, June 20th.  Activities and entertainment are being planned around the celebration.
Throughout the six hour day, activities will be offered to children and adults alike.  Being planned are demonstrations on canal boat building, blacksmithing, many children's games, a magic show, wagon rides and a teen play performance.  A chicken barbeque will be served throughout the day.
Time has been set aside for a special ceremony paying tribute to those who had the foresight and fortitude to undertake the excavation, preservation and restoration of this unique historic site.
The museum is located at 7010 Lakeport Road in Chittenango. Visit our website: www.chittenangolandingcanalboatmuseum.com or call (315) 687-3801 for more information.

 
 
The Oneida Community Mansion House hosts Donna Woolfolk Cross, author of Pope Joan, on Sat., March 6 at 7 p.m., during a free public event to kick off The Big Read in the greater Oneida area.
 The Big Read is presented through a partnership of the Oneida Community Mansion House and the Oneida Public and Sherrill-Kenwood Free libraries to celebrate The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder.
Oneida and Sherrill represent one of 268 communities nationwide participating in The Big Read, an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) designed to restore reading to the center of American culture, from September 2009-June 2010. To date, the NEA has funded more than 800 Big Read programs in the nation’s towns and cities.
The NEA presents The Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest. Support for The Big Read is provided by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Transportation for The Big Read is provided by Ford.
Cross will kick off The Big Read by sharing the research, writing and themes of her popular novel.  During this inspiring presentation on the power of reading and writing to enlighten, enrich, and change our lives, Cross will also discuss the influence of Thornton Wilder on her own writing.  Attendees will be the first to see the two-minute trailer of the movie version of Pope Joan that was released overseas last year.  The author’s talk will be followed by a reception when she will sign copies of Pope Joan, on sale that evening from the Colgate University Bookstore.